Montgomery County sentinel., 1887-05-20
MisGeIlamenMs.
SPECIMENS OF THE QUEER. ("

The laws Of the United States provide
penalties not only for making, uttering
and passing, but for "having in posses
sion" counterfeit money, and when
man can safely come to you and "nash
up roll of bills as large as your arm
in one hundreds, ffties, twsnties and SO
on down, produce from one pocket a
handful Of glittering yellow boys" and
from the other half pint of what looks
like silver coins, all counterfeit, he must
be some one quite out of the ordinary.
Such man is james II. Cables, of
New York, an expert in spotting coun-
terfeit money, and an attache of the
United States Treasury Counterfeit De-
tector, who has just made one of his
periodical visits to Detroit. Mr. Gables,
under special license from the secretary
of the treasury, carries with him about
$1,700 in the cleverest Of spurious
paper, gold and silver currency. every
nickel Of which would be good with any
ordinary person for its equivalent in
beer and bologna. He devotes his time
and specimens to enligbtening the sim
pie as to the dangers Of pinchbeck bills
and coin, and the necessity Of being sup
piled with counterfeit dstector
Mr.. Gables is perfect Intelligence
Office as to all matters relating 10 the
"queer," and, although he is the avowed
enemy Of counterfeiters, regards his
choicest specimens of criminal art with
something Of the pride that a connois-
seur in prints feels in displaying an ar
lists proof Of Raphael or Morgan.
Perhaps he feels little more joy in
exhibiting the almost perfect work of
those great masters, Thomas Ballard
and Charles Ulrich. than any other.
These are hung on the eye line Of his
gallery, aud have every advantage of
light and situation.
Ulrich did long time in the Ohio peni-
tentiary at Columbus, and while there
made portrait Of Governor "Foghorn"
Allen, which is now the best extant. Il
was probably not in recognition Of this
service that he was pardoned in 1876.
A number of well meaning ladies', i'm.
upon his release. established
him in the engraving business at Colum-
bus, but this was too slow for him. and
in less than year he was floating
finely executed counterfeit Of q IS bill
on Pennsylvania bank. The plate was
run down in 1880, but the bills still
travel and are exceedingly dangerous.
Ballard, the other premier, is now do
ing thirty years at the Albany peniten-
tiary, under sentence imposed in 1875.
excellent ajet Dart in Mr.. Ca
bles' gallery is the magnificent 800
bill made and aoated by Smith and
Brockaway in 1880. This would easily
pass with any one having small change
for il, unless he we're real expert.
One valuable suggestion made by Mr..
Gables is that any United States treasury
note, the number Of which is not divisi-
bio by four, is counterfeit.
A fact not generally understood is that
the margin Of profit in the making Of
bogus gold coin is very small The tens
and twenties it is almost impossible TO
make heavy enough 10 deceive any one
but pure amateur. In s. pieces Mr..
Cables shows one which, with the mix
ture of silver and fine lettering, is only
from the genuine by a
slight unevcnnsss Of lettering. It will
stand tho acid test almost perfectly.
This coin has an intrinsic value Of S4. so,
leaving only per cent. TO cover the cost
Of manufacture and the risk Of a term iu
prison.
In silver coins there is now an elegant
and complete lioe Of counterfeits. The
best Of these is dollar foated since
1879, full weight aud srue ring, but
Of Babbitt metal thinly coated
with silver. This costs twenty-five cents
laid down at the factory, and is disposed
Of TO "shovOrs" for fifty cents, leaving
a profit Of 100 per cent. to cover risk.
A fifty cent piece, Of 1872. is also bad
'un. II is built Of anthony, tin and
Babbitt metal, is Of full size and weight,
clcan cut and handsome, but has greasy
"feel."
The Canadian bills in Mr.. Cables
cabinet are mostly we'll engraved. but
are defective in lathe work and paper.
In the case Of our notes the peculiarity Of
the paper is one Of the most difficult
points for the counterfeiter to overcome.
Since April, 1886. seventeen new
countcrfeits Of paper money have been